Bung and air connection for beer-kegs, &amp;c.



Patented Ian. 1, I90l.

.1. MOBAW-ETZ. BUNG AND AIILCONNEGTION FOB BEER KEGS, 8w.

(Appiication filed Apr. 24, 1900.)

- (No Model.)

VIII/III]!!! Z TATES Ul ra TENT @rrtc JOHN MORAWETZ, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,252, dated January '1, 1901.

Application filed April 24, 1900. Serial No. 14,184. iNo modehl To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, JOHN MORAWETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Bung and Air Connection for Beer-Kegs, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in bungs and air connections for beer-kegs and analogous receptacles.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of bungs and air connect-ions for beer-kegs and analogous receptacles and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device adapted to prevent the bung-hole of a barrel, cask, or keg from becoming enlarged through use and rendering the cask or barrel unfit for use and capable of expediting the process of tapping and of preventing any of the contents of the receptacle escaping during such process.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will necessitate only one cork and which will prevent leakage and the deterioration or destruction often resulting from defective bungholes. v

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, the bung tube or pipe being in position. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the metallic bung. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the hinged sleeve.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the draw-- ings.

1 designates a metallic bung designed to be arranged in an opening of the head2 of a keg, barrel, or analogous receptacle and having a bung-hole or opening 3, which is enlarged at its outer portion to form a shoulder or seat 4 and to receive an elastic compressible washer or packing 5, and an adjustable sleeve 6 for compressing the elastic washer to provide a liquid-tight joint between the same and a bung tube or rod 7. The metallic bung 1 is provided at its outer end with laterally-e24 tending lugs or ears 8, which engage the outer face of the head 2 of the receptacle,- and the inner end is reduced and threaded at 9 to re ceive an inner section or nut 10, which engages the inner face of the head 2 and which permanently secures the bung to the same. The nut or section 10 extends beyond the bung to engage the inner face of the head, and it is provided with a recess 11 to receive the end 9 of the bung, and it has an annular flange or extension 12, forming a continuation of the bung, as clearly illustrated in Fig.

l of the accompanying drawings. The inner or lower portion of the bung-hole or opening of the bung 1 is adapted to receive a cork 13, which is placed in position by the brewer and which is the only one necessary. The cork 13 is retained in place by the elastic washer or packing, which projects inward beyond the seat, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

' The sleeve 6, which is slightly tapered, as shown, is provided at opposite sides with laterally-extending arms 14 and 15, which are received Within recesses 16 and 17 of the upper face of the bung, and the arm 14 is connected with the said bung by a hinge 18, which has its pintle located at the periphery of the bung, whereby the sleeve is adapted to swing into and out of the outer portion of the bunghole to afford access to the same and to engage the elastic packing ring or washer 5. The arm 15, which is arranged within the recess 17, is provided with a perforation for the reception of a thumb-screw 19, which engages a threaded socket 30 of the bung. The thumbscrew 19 is adapted to be screwed inward after the bung tube or rod has been driven into the keg or barrel, and the said sleeve 6 is thereby forced into engagement with the packing ring or washer, which is compressed between the sleeve and the seat 4, and thereby expanded and'forced into engagement with the vent tube or rod, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Preparatory to driving the vent tube or rod into the barrel the thumb-screw is loosened to permit the elastic packing ring or washer to expand outward toward theinner edge of the sleeve, and thereby provide a clear passage for the said vent tube or rod.

The bung is provided at one side with an L-shaped bore or passage 21, forming an airvent and extending inward from the outer face of the bung and horizontally or laterally to the lower portion of the opening or bunghole, at a point below the shoulder 4, whereby it will be closed at its inner end by the cork 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The outer end of the passage or vent21 is interiorly threaded at 22 for the reception of an air-tube 23. The air-tn be 23, which is designed to be connected with a pump or any other source of supply, is provided with an inwardly-opening Valve 24, arranged within a tubular section or member 25, which is connected with a swiveled section or member 26 byacoupling 27. The coupling is provided at one end with an inwardly-extending flange 28, which engages a corresponding outwardly-extending flange 29 of the tubular section or member 25, and the swiveled section 26 has its upper end 30'enlarged, and its lower end 31 is threaded and adapted to screw into the threaded outer or upper end of the Von tor passage. The tubular section 25, which receives the valve 24, is provided with a stop 32, and it is interiorly threaded and screwed on an L-shaped tube or member-33, which is designed to be coupled to an air pipe or conduit. The valve 24,which is elastic, is adapted to seat itself against the lower end of the depending arm of the L- shaped pipe or tube 33, and the stop 32 limits the downward movement of the valve. The valve will permit air under pressure to enter the barrel or keg and force the contents thereof out through the bung-tube '7, which is designed to be coupled to a coil in the usual manner. The beer is cooled by passing through the coil and is drawn off in the ordinary manner through a spigot. \Vhen the pressure within the receptacle is greater than the pressure in the tube 33, the valve will be firmly held on its seat, will be readily apparent.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpressive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily applied to a barrel, cask, keg, or analogous receptacle, and that it increases the durability of the same and facilitates the operation of packing. It will also be apparent that it will prevent the bunghole of a receptacle from becoming enlarged, that it does not have to bedriven into the keg or barrel, and that the escape of the contents incident to such operation is obviated.

\Vhat is claimed is-- l. A device of the class described com prising a hung havingan opening, an elastic compressible packing arranged within the opening, a sleeve fitting within the opening of the bung and hinged to one side of the latter and adapted to receive a bung-tube, and an adjusting device located at the opposite side of the bung and adapted to force the sleeve against the packing, whereby the latter is expanded against the bung-tube, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described compris= ing a bung having an opening and provided with a seat, an elastic packing arranged on the seat, an adjustable sleeve provided with oppositely-disposed arms, one of the arms being hinged to the bung, and an adjusting device connecting the other arm with the bung, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a bung having an opening, a packing arranged therein, a sleeve fitting within the opening and adapted to receive a bung-tube and hinged at one side to the bung, and an adjusting-screw mounted on the bung at the opposite side thereof and engaging the sleeve and adapted to force the same against the packing, whereby the latter is expanded against the bung-tube, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising a bung having an opening and provided at its outer end with means for engaging a barrel oranalogous receptacle, and havingits innerend reduced and threaded, an inner section or nut extending beyond the bung to engage the interiorof the receptacle and having a threaded recess to receive the threaded end of the hung, a cork located within the inner portion of the bung-hole, a packing engaging the cork, and an adjustable sleeve fitting against the packing, suhstantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a hung having an opening and provided with a passage located at one side of the opening and extending from the outer end of the bung to the inner portion of the said opening and adapted to receive an air-tube, a stopper or cork fitting in the inner portion of the opening and closing the inner end of the passage, a packing located within the opening of the bu ng at a point above the inner end of the said passage and at the outer end of the cork or stopper, and a sleeve located in the outer portion of the bung-opening ata point beyond the cork or stopper, substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprisinga bung having a bung-hole, and provided atone side with a passage, said passage being interiorly threaded at its outer end, an airtube provided with a Valve and having a swiveled member exteriorly threaded and engaging the threaded portion of the passage, and the cork or stopper arranged within the inner portion of the bung-hole and closing the inner end of the said passage, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MORAWETZ.

Witnesses:

P. M. KISSLING, W. J. WASSON. 

